The present disclosure is related to observation of cellular materials, and more particularly to platforms for observing cellular materials.
One requirement for investigating cellular-level processes, such as cell growth, cell wall or cellulose biosynthesis and other dynamic responses, is the ability to monitor large numbers of individual cells, tissue fragments, and/or protoplasts over extended time periods. To achieve maximum resolution, high powered objectives are necessary which can typically only capture small numbers of cells in any single field of view. Therefore, it can be necessary to iteratively image different regions of a culture over the course of the experiment. Translation of the sample stage is typically required to observe several different specimens in different fields of view over the course of the experiment. If the specimens, such as protoplasts, that are being observed are not immobilized, they will typically move around within the culture chamber during these manipulations. Even without macroscale movement of the experiment, protoplasts may shift position just due to natural convection and/or vibrations of the systems.